175 Comments

How to use legs more effectively to avoid grip stress on overhangsIf your weak in the lowest part of a squat (I.e., initiating pushibg up out of a high step,) you may want to focus more on pushing with your glutes - your butt is what will push you out of that position. Lots of non-athletes have problems activating those muscles.

Sep4

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How to go about replacing sport climbing bolts?I just voted to close - chopping bolts on established routes is dangerous and (depending on where you do it) likely illegal. Even if the question was about replacing existing bolts, I think we'd be getting pretty far outside of what we could safely provide instruction for. If you want to help with bolts, get involved with local access groups. Self appointed rogue bolt choppers are a plague on climbing areas.

Knot for Joining the ropes of different thicknessesWhat thickness of ropes are you trying to join? Is this for rappelling? A "sheet bend" will join 2 ropes, but I've never seen it recommended for rappelling. If you're trying to join a pair of climbing ropes (i.e., a single rope and a halfrope, or a single rope and a twin rope) there's probably a more specific recommendation

How can I boost morale on long backpacking trips?:) I'd be interested in the answer too. Personally, I've just shifted away from long single trips to taking long day hikes and staying in hostels. At least in Colorado, at least on week long trips to Colorado. It breaks things up a little bit, and makes it feel more like a vacation.

How can I practice Climbing without the actual wall and/or equipment?By balance, do you mean balance and efficient movement while rock climbing? I've never tried to do it away from a climbing wall. I'm not sure how much transfer there would be. You could try doing yoga poses (er, you're from India. I mean the Americanized, non-religious isometric balance pose based version of yoga that American yuppies have adopted, not necessarily real "yoga" :) ). If you're recovering from foot and back injuries, though, I'd make sure to take it easy and not reinjure yourself.

Clarification sought on the six-inch-cat-hole rule@DonBranson - when I was in my college's backpacking club (hiking the humid, bio-degrading forests of north Georgia, no less), we were still instructed to pack out our toilet paper. One issue is that (even if it does biodegrade), animals may dig it up and scatter it around, making an unsightly mess. I pack it out in a 2 layer ziplock bag, and its not nearly as gross as you would expect. :)

Which is more durable: Hard shell or soft shell?+1 - that's right. Whenever you're buying an expensive piece, these days, you really have to research the fabric itself. Even "Gortex" (the biggest jacket material brand name in the USA) is really a label applied to a half dozen different fabrics with slightly different properties.

Aug21

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Which is more durable: Hard shell or soft shell?I realize I didn't exactly answer the question... but I feel like hardshells and softshells are for different things, and they're both valuable. Its like asking "which is more durable, a seat belt or my car's airbags?"

Aug20

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Which is more durable: Hard shell or soft shell?In US outdoor industry, "hardshell" jackets are ones with heavy nylon outer layers, while "softshells" have either cloth or polar fleece material as the outer layer. While there are some "gortex" softshells out there, most of the time if you say "gortex jacket" you mean a hardshell.

Aug20

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How can a walking style be changed?instead of adding custom cushions to your shoe, could you research shoe inserts, and / or see an orthopedist and get a custom insert made? I feel like you'd get better results from that than adding weights to your opposite leg. My $0.02

Aug20

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How can a walking style be changed?I would recommend you look at online forums for runners, though. At least in the USA, there are FAR more runners than there are hikers (or almost any other recreational sport), and there are a lot of resources online for them. Your problem might be something they know how to address.

Aug20

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How can a walking style be changed?good luck. If you're going to do something like that, make sure to experiment with it slowly, don't just wear the sandbag for a long hike, because the change in your stride could cause another injury to show up.

Aug17

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Are trekking poles proven to be helpful?That's a good point. They only reduce the strain on your knees by transferring it to your upper body. Which for most people (other than bodybuilders or gymnasts) probably isn't as strong or efficient as their lower body.